Carols in the Car.

Thanks for the email and the great phone conversation! Don't worry I haven't been homesick, more just excited to work and then in a short little while see you guys! Wow, I am loving Curacao right now. In my President's letter I talked about Maria's baptism and that was awesome. We are kind of starting at ground zero with investigators right now but I have a goal of having two more baptisms my last transfer (transfers are next Mon. and then the week after I think we have zone conference when Pres. Mart. comes down. But I think that P-day will be on Tues next week). Anyway, I really feel like it can happen. Do you want to pray with me that it will?

Some of the elders were talking about how President Martineau is trying to work for the missionaries to be able to be down in the islands for six months on each island instead of three and I was SO jealous. If I could stay her for six more months that would be awesome. But just like Alma, "I do sin in my wish" I know that this is the Lord's time for me. Being a missionary is just so amazing! Wow, ok.

This week was really good. We ate so much. The best was that right before our Christmas eve dinner we went to Maria's interview and the member whose house we were having it at prepared us a full on Dominican meal. So we ate that and then an hour and a half later had our Christmas eve dinner. Yikes. But, Christmas eve was really awesome. I think that my favorite part was singing Christmas songs in the car with my companion. Christmas music is the only way that we could really connect with Christmas this year. That and the scriptures. I had a really awesome study on Christmas morning. It seems like every Christmas I understand more and more the significance of the Savior's birth.

I'm so bummed I wanted to send a picture of me in my new pj's. A member - actually the one from Guiana (sp?)(P.S. she is going to guiana in a little bit. do you know where Andy is serving? also, Guaiana has really good food. She made us this thing called Roti that she made us - yum) But we went to go visit her the day after Christmas in her shop and she gave us some pjs. I chose the blue silky, ruffly ones. They are actually really comfy. I totally did not want to get ready the next morning I just wanted to stay in my silky jamies. Could be a Grandpa Holt trait.

But, things are going really great. I am enjoying my studying of the Book of Mormon right now. I have just 100 pages to go before Friday. Doesn't that remind me of High School Honors english summer reading assignments? But, it is really sad to read about the Nephites and how easily they went back to their wickedness. Wow.

We were toquing in probably the richest neighborhood I've been in my whole mission yesterday. We call that Dutch land. Anyway, hardly any success but it was a great time for me to meditate about the things that I want out of life. Here in the branch I have met some of the happiest people that live in some of the humblest circumstances. The branch President and his family live in a house that is just a little more than a shack but they are so strong in the Gospel. It has really been an amazing experience for me to see that the people that have nothing, a lot of the times have everything, and the people that have everything a lot of the times have nothing. If everyone could only see the joy that the Gospel brings. Anyway, it was a great chance for me to meditate yesterday and just think about what I want for my future. I just want to have an eternal family that is strong in the Gospel. I hope that I can always keep in rememberance this little insight that I had yesterday in Dutch land.

Well, I love you a ton! I hope that you have a great new Years! They are already starting to celebrate it here with tons of fireworks.

I love you all so much! have a fun last week with Devin.

Sister Neff

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Dear President Martineau,

What an amazing week we've had. Christmas is great here in Curacao. The members sure have a lot of love for the missionaries here. I don't ever remember eating so much food in my entire life. But, the best part about this week was Maria's baptism!

Her conversion has been wonderful for us to watch and be apart of. I know that Maria is now cleansed and has been reborn, thanks to Jesus Christ. I'm really grateful for having been able witness her conversion and to see the happiness that she now feels.

Her baptism was a really special night for a lot of reasons. We saw a lot of tender mercies: Maria seemed really happy and was warmly welcomed to the branch by all of the members. She brought her friend, our investigator to the baptism. Oscar - the recent convert from two weeks ago - baptized her and although he was really nervous he did a great job and came up to us later thanking us for having asked him to perform the baptism. He said that he loved it and that he was able to help Maria because he had been there just two weeks before. He felt incredible and wants to baptize more people. Also, we contacted a referel while we were there. The branch president brought his aunt and Sis. Paredes, his wife was anxious for us to meet her. That was neat becuase for the last few weeks we have been helping Sister Paredes clean the church because she is recovering from surgery. We have loved to be helping her and haven't been hoping to get anything out of it but it was neat to see that because we have been serving her she and her husband trust us to teach their family.

Needless to say it was a great night and after I had the desire to stay here FOREVER! I love being a missionary so much and if I had the opportunity I would stay here for as long as I could!

Sister Neff

Ducth? Hey. Why Not.

Well, what a fun Christmas week it sound like you’ve had! It still doesn’t really feel like Christmas over here but it's okay – we’ve had a really good week. We went to Aruba and it was awesome. We flew in and out in the same day but our zone conference was A-maz-ing.

President Martineau has been focusing a lot on the Book of Mormon and we read and discussed Nephi’s dream. It was really neat. The part when Nephi feels the love of God was when he saw Mary, the purest of women chosen to bear the son of God, and then when he sees it all take place. I wish I had my scriptures so I could quote the exact words but He talks about the love of God. President Martineau commented that this what the Gospel is all about – being able to feel the love of God. It was really powerful. Its hard to express through email but it was really neat.

Then, for Christmas conference the Martineau’s took us to a hotel in Aruba and this Chinese Benny Hanna’s place to eat. It was so fun! The guy made the food right in front of us and let me crack an egg. I was courtesy laughing most of the time at all of the jokes but it was delicious and really good. That same day I received your letters. It was just an amazing day.

Maria, our baptismal date, is progressing really well. She is just so cute. She invited her Jamaican roommate in for a lesson that we had with her. She is just on fire! We seriously don’t do anything, its all her – those are the best kinds of baptisms because its just a testament to the fact that the Lord prepares people to accept His Gospel. Also, will you ask what part of Columbia Catherine is from? I meet a ton of people from Columbia!

The Martineau’s came over to Curacao this past weekend and it was great. The elders had a baptism and we heard the lions again but it was a beautiful baptism. They taught their investigator in about 3 weeks and they also felt like they didn’t do anything. One of the elders said, “basically all we did was set citas (appointments).” But he is really strong. He got the priesthood the same day he got confirmed and was also called to be the assistant ward mission leader! I don’t think he really understood what that means but it was really cool to see him get a calling so he can start out really involved in the branch and stay active!

I just love the people here. They are a mix of Jamaican, Columbian, Dominican, Curacaolanian, Venezuelan (I ate some really awesome things called Arepas last week from Venezuela – so good) and a few others. They are the most beautiful people that I’ve ever seen. Inside and out. They have such strong testimonies of the Gospel and are so firm! I want to continue to be a member missionary when I get back, just like what Dad was talking about in his email. Its actually something that I’ve been thinking about. I don’t know if I should be thinking about it, but I want to find ways to share the Gospel at home. But, its definitely something that I fear, slipping back into mediocrity especially because the opportunities to share the Gospel don’t come as often as they do when you are surrounded by people who aren’t members. But I’m sure if I look for opportunities, they will come.

Well, I should probably go but just the last thing… for Christmas what we do here is email you our phone number and you call us with a phone card. We’re not sure the exact time but I’ll email you next week.

Thank you for everything that you guys are and do – everyone of you. Tell the family that I say hi and that I love them too. I am so thankful for my Savior and His birth and sacrifice. I know that He lives. I know that this is His Gospel.

I love you,
Ruman or Zester Neff (I’m going to start to learn Dutch this week. I ordered a Dutch nametag from the office. I figured hey - why not?)

P.S. I think that Curacao is prettier than Aruba!

Hey Family,

Thanks for the emails! Wow, that is crazy about Trent – good thing he is ok.

It definitely sounds like Christmas in Provo! Snow, lights, decorating. I’ll be honest, I haven’t really gotten into the Christmas Spirit yet down here. It’s a little bit hard when its super hot outside. Actually, I wasn’t getting super excited for Christmas – not in an ebaneezer Scrooge way but last year was kind of hard not being around the traditional Christmas things that I was used to but this year I think I’m kind of used to it. But, wasn’t last nights Christmas devotional amazing! Oh my gosh. Talk about getting into the Spirit of Christmas. Wow. I decided last night as I was listening to the talks and about the true meaning of Christmas that I still can celebrate Christmas. It doesn’t have to be with all of the things that I’m used to and seriously because there is hardly enough time to do anything I decided that I’m still going to celebrate Christmas. In every cita that I go to, every person that I talk to about the Gospel, all of the things that I do everyday, I’m going to make it a present for the Savior. I can’t send home Christmas presents but everything I do I’m just going to make it better for the Savior and that’s how I’ll get the Christmas Spirit!

It was such a wonderful conference last night. Wow. I almost cried when President Monson talked about the gate 67 story. I loved Pres. Uchdorf’s talk about seeking Christ. It is so crazy how we can miss the mark by focusing on the little things like the pharacies (sp?) did – even in missionary work! There are a lot of goals that we have, a lot of numbers that we deal with, getting to citas on time, making sure this and that are done but what I really need to focus on is the Savior. I was reading about the law of Moses this morning about how the priest’s of Noah thought that the law of Moses could save them but it is the atonement that can save us. The law of Moses was good and if they followed it right it would help them follow the Savior but there would come a time when the law of Moses would end. I totally related that to our numbers and key indicators that we work for. They are means to an end but they are not the end – they aren’t the ultimate goal. The goal is that we bring people unto Christ through the waters of baptism. And, just like the law of Moses, my time of accounting to my leaders and mission president will end, what I’ll be left with is what is in my heart. What will I do when I don’t have to talk with everyone about the Gospel? Will I still do it? Yes! Anyway, I just realized this morning that I need to have the Savior a lot more in my thoughts.

Thanks for letting me share that little insight.

But this week has been a great week. I am short on time so I’m going to do what I do in my journal sometimes when I don’t have time – bullet points!

• We have a ton of new invest that I’m super excited about. One of them is a Jamaican woman and her daughter

• We’re going to Aruba tomorrow for zone conference!

• I had my first sarcastically rude rejection from a dutch person yesterday. I’m officially a missionary in Curacao.

• I forgot to tell you, because its expensive to talk on the phone here most of the communication between missionaries we do through texting!

• I found out Elder Knudsen in my district is Art and Jill Hansen’s neighbor

•Papiemento e ta bon!
( No idea how you say merry Christmas, but "how are you?" is “con ta bai ku bo?”

Well, those are the only things I can think of right now! I love you all so much!
- Sister Neff

P.S. I don’t know anything yet about Christmas calls but I’ll check!

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Dear President,
This week was a great week. Wow, we have seen some really great things. We’ve had to drop a few investigators – or they’ve dropped us rather but they really weren’t progressing very much so we’re kind of starting with a new pool of investigators but I’m excited for them. They have some really good potential. We also set a fecha with our investigator Maria! Wow, she is so prepared! She is a referral from a member and we teach her right there in the member’s home. She is so excited about the Book of Mormon and loves it and has started reading from the beginning and loves to tell us about what is happening. We had a really great lesson with her this past week. She works at a resort and her schedule is really hard – she only has Sundays off every 6 weeks. Well, she went to church twice the two Sundays that she was off and loved it.

My companion and I knew that we needed to talk to her about the Sabbath day and to invite her to talk to her bosses to see if she could at least come to church. Well, we got to the lesson and were surprised to hear her story. That day she, on her own without us telling her anything, went that day and talked to her bosses to ask them to let her come to church. This is huge for Maria. She is a really timid lady and her bosses are usually really hard hearted towards her. But, just like Nephi, she went guided by the Spirit, made an appointment to meet with them, and told them that she had never felt like she did in all her years of going to her other church, that she had learned more here in the past two weeks than 20 years of being in other churches.

The reaction from her bosses was amazing. They told her that she should go to this church that had helped her so much. They told her that she could come into work later after going to church then in Maria’s sweet and emotional words she said, “y cuando yo iba a salir, me abrazaron, estando sucia y en mi uniforme, me abrazaron.” It was a great experience for her and for us as well. She did the exact thing that we were going to invite her to do without us even having to ask her to! She also told us “ you told me that I would receive and answer and you know what, I think that I’m receiving it!”

It was an amazing lesson. The sad part was that Maria wasn’t able to come to church yesterday because there was too much work for them to let her come, so there is still some things that she is going to have to work out and I don’t know how exactly it will work out but what I do know is that she is SO prepared! Her faith is amazing. And with our’s and the member’s faith and prayers I know that Maria will be baptized.

Thank you so much President for sending me here to finish my mission. I absolutely love it. I feel a lot more comfortable talking Papiamentu, the listening part is still a little bit hard, but thank goodness I have someone by my side who knows what they are saying! But, I love the members here so much and the church down here is so inspiring. I feel so blessed to be here!
Well, thank you so much for everything that you and Sister Martineau do for us. I appreciate it so much. See you tomorrow for zone conference!

-Sister Neff